Keeping Your Treasures Close
by Mae Snapdragon
Summary: One shot set in the middle of Chapter 21...alone at Kurosaki's apartment, what happens that the manga doesn't show?


Kurosaki Tasuku stared at the flickering computer screen in front of him, then rubbed at his eyes, feeling his skull throb slightly. The head injury had been doing better, but he still got twinges of pain occasionally. He didn't care though; the pain was a mark of his success. He had protected Teru. Because his head was hurting, she was fine.

He kept seeing her face in his mind's eye, that expression she had had when she put on the necklace DAISY had given to her. It was haunting him, and he clenched his hands into fists, leaning on one hand so his knuckles dug into his cheek. He almost wished that he had given her the necklace himself, as Kurosaki, not as DAISY, but he knew he didn't have the right to do that.

What was torturing him even more was the knowledge that Teru was sleeping in his bed right now.

She's slept over at your apartment before, he reminded himself. Why is it bugging you so much right now?

He shoved back from the desk and got to his feet. He should probably go to bed himself, although sleeping on a couch that was way too short wasn't really all that comfy.

Kurosaki pushed open the door and walked out of his study, closing the door behind him before strolling across the darkened room to the couch. But when he peered over the back, he saw a small female form sprawled across the cushions, her breathing soft and even in sleep.

A rueful smile tugged briefly at his lips.

"What, is she trying to be considerate now?" he said, looking with amusement at the collar of her childish polka-dot pyjamas, showing where the blanket had slipped down. If she was sleeping here, he might as well sleep in his own bed. But instead of moving towards his bedroom, his feet carried him around the sofa and to the front. The smile faded from his face as he gazed down at Teru, a strange ache coming over him.

"She really did put it beside her pillow," he murmured, noticing that the box that held the necklace he-no, DAISY-had given her was sitting beside her head. She had said that she liked to keep her treasures close.

Her voice rang out in his ears as he remembered what she had said earlier.

"What about you, Kurosaki?" she had asked innocently. "Do you like to put your treasures away safely, or do you like to keep them close?"

He stared down at her face, unable to stop his hand from reaching up to touch her cheek.

"I'm just like you," he said quietly, his fingers trailing across her jaw. I want to stroke your skin, he thought. And when I fall asleep, I want to lie down holding onto you.

He had come so close to losing her. If he had been a second too late...

One of his fingers traced over her bottom lip, and he remembered that moment in the hospital. He had been close enough to feel the warmth of her breath on his skin, and if Riko hadn't come then, he knew he wouldn't have been able to stop.

But Riko wasn't here now, and Kurosaki couldn't tear his eyes away from Teru's face.

Slowly, he bent over, tilting her face slightly upwards. The faint moonlight coming in from the window washed over her skin and he felt his chest tighten.

Then he lowered his head and kissed her.

Her lips were soft underneath his, and his mouth covered hers like it was meant to be there. A jolt raced through him and he pulled back quickly, straightening up and rocking back on his heels, his lips tingling. Had he really just done that?

He staggered backwards and then raced across the room to his bedroom, jerking the door open and closing it quietly behind him. He slumped back against it and slid slowly to the ground, breathing hard.

"Shit," he panted, gazing at his hands. His head tipped back and he stared at the ceiling, a huge smile spreading across his face. "Shit!"

It was going to be hard to sleep tonight.

* * *

Teru opened her eyes and sat up slowly, aware of how stiff her body felt. She stretched, wincing when she heard her spine crack. She couldn't believe Kurosaki had put up with this everytime she had slept over at his apartment. At least he would have gotten a good sleep last night, she reasoned, cheered by the thought.

Suddenly something cold slapped against the back of her neck and she jerked forward as a wet washcloth slid down her back and onto the couch, leaving a trail of freezing water on her. She whirled around to see Kurosaki poking his head out of the washroom, his hair freshly damp from a shower.

"Get up, slave!" he snarled, stalking across the room to the kitchen. "Make me some breakfast!"

"Make your own breakfast, old baldy!" she yelled back instinctively. Funny, she thought. He looked like he hadn't slept a wink last night.

She swung her legs over the side of the couch and went to stand up, but then something stopped her. She paused uncertainly and raised a hand to her lips, touching them hesitantly. It was strange...She felt almost as if there was...an imprint there, a ghost of something. Teru glanced over her shoulder at Kurosaki, then looked away.

No. She must be imagining things.

Teru shrugged and stood up, halting only momentarily to put on her necklace before she walked into the kitchen to help Kurosaki with breakfast.


End file.
